


Picture

by Moonrose91



Series: The Burns Family Chronicles [4]
Category: Transformers: Rescue Bots
Genre: F/M, Other, Plot, Secrets, unexpected
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-08
Updated: 2012-11-08
Packaged: 2017-11-18 05:32:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 807
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/557429
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Moonrose91/pseuds/Moonrose91
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This yearly family picture might be the last.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Picture

Jennifer smiled as she held a nearly two year old Cody in her arms for Charlie’s yearly family photo.

Cody’s hair still had yet to come in, so she was thinking that Cody was Charlie’s, which was a bit of a relief. She smiled and bounced the boy gently in her arms, earning giggles from her baby boy. She smiled and kissed his cheek, but…but felt so very alone and pained.

For some reason, she just couldn’t even be _content_ anymore.

And usually, she was happiest with her children, but now…

She looked up as Charlie sat down next to her. “Got the kids wrangled. All the kids want to hold Cody, but I solved it by saying you got to hold him, but that everyone would get to hold him in individual photos,” he stated and she smiled.

“They really do love him, don’t they?” she responded.

“Yeah. I’m really proud of them, actually. Especially Graham. They’ve really stepped up as being older siblings, especially considering the age difference. Kade has decided what he wants to do with his life, and Dani is going into high school next year. But Graham takes the cake. He’s really stepped up to being a big brother to Cody and I couldn’t be prouder. Kade is also gaining some much needed maturity from having someone so young in the house. I’m thinking he’ll go into rescue work,” Charlie continued and she tensed slightly at that.

Another family member in a job that could get them killed?

She held Cody a little more tightly in her arms and smiled at Charlie. “Really? Think he’ll follow in your steps?” she teased lightly and Charlie shook his head, and Cody said ‘wescue’ over and over.

“No. I’m thinking he’ll be more like Fred,” Charlie stated and Jennifer almost went running inside to shake Kade and yell at him.

He could _not_ become a _fireman_!

A police officer was bad enough, as there was always a chance, no matter how remote (especially in Griffin Rock) of Charlie getting hurt, but with a fireman, there was no such thing as ‘remote chance.’

He would be charging into fires without a care for his safety and…

And that fit Kade perfectly. Always rushing in to save people, no matter how much it could hurt him, all the while being an egocentric manchild.

She loved her son dearly, but sometimes he drove her up the wall.

“Hey Dad, Graham is having trouble with his tie,” Dani greeted and Charlie let out a chuckle as he stood up.

“I should have known. Where’s Kade?” Charlie asked and Dani shrugged with a grin.

Charlie shook his head and gave her a brief hug before he headed back into the house. “So, Mom, can I hold Cody for the picture?” Dani asked and Jennifer laughed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Charlie sighed as he began to pick apart the knot Graham had tied his tie into, around his neck no less, and shook his head a little. “How did you get this into such a knot?” he asked.

“Practice,” Graham answered, but he didn’t have his usual cheerful tone.

Charlie frowned in concern. “Graham, is there something you want to tell me?” he asked.

Graham looked up at him, and he opened his mouth, as if to say something, before he closed it with a click. Instead he stepped forward and hugged Charlie tightly, forcing Charlie to leave the tie alone. He hugged Graham backed, thoroughly confused. “Graham, you know you can tell me anything, right?” Charlie stated and the boy nodded slowly.

“Okay then,” Charlie stated and, eventually, Graham stepped back to let his dad finish up with fixing his tie. With that, he led Graham outside, collecting Kade as they went.

“All right everyone, big smiles,” Charlie stated as they settled on the front porch.

He smiled and took the first picture of many.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Charlie grinned as he slid the newest family picture into the photo album.

For the first time in four years, Graham had sat next to Jenny. He didn’t look entirely too happy, but whatever had caused a rift, it had obviously begun fixing itself.

“Good job Cody,” he whispered, before he closed the photo album and set it on the shelf.

He then smiled over the other ‘solitary’ photos.

Graham had taken the most _parental_ stance with Cody. He loved being with the toddler and he was fiercely protective of the boy.

Charlie smiled and wondered if Graham would be available to babysit tomorrow. Dani was going to a friend’s for an overnight stay and Kade was seeing one of his friends off before they entered the service.

It would be the perfect time to take Jenny out for dinner.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jenny stared at the divorce papers in her hands and wondered if she had ever loved Charlie Burns.


End file.
